This Time Around
by CantStopWontStop
Summary: KB OW PostHogwarts At the age of 20, Katie Bell got pregnant just weeks before her boyfriend, Oliver, was forced to go fight in the war against Voldemort. Now it's nearly 5 years later and the war is over. What happens to them when Oliver returns?
1. Painful Memories

(Welcome to the first chapter of my newest story! I hope this goes well and please review!)

"Mommy?"

I rolled over and saw the silhouette of my daughter standing next to my bed. "What is it?" I mumbled, half asleep.

"I can't sleep. I had a bad dream," she said.

"You can sleep here," I mumbled, rolling over.

A small silence fell over my bedroom and I began to fall back asleep. "Mommy?"

"Huh?"

"Tell me a story about Daddy."

I didn't reply immediately. "Honey, I've already told you all the stories about him. You've heard them tons of times."

"But you never told me about when you fell in love."

I closed my eyes, trying to fight back the strange pain I felt in my chest. "I was sixteen," I whispered. "He was seventeen. And you know that he was captain of my quidditch team. I remember he asked me out on a date once, but I had a boyfriend, so I told him no. But, I couldn't stop thinking about him, so I finally agreed."

"But how did you know you were in love?"

"Well, they say that when you fall in love, you can't explain how you feel. All you want to do is be with that person that you love. And they say the moment you fall in love, the world stops."

"It stops?"

"Not actually stops," I explained. "But you forget what's going on and the only thing you can see is that person."

"Oh. And that happened to you and Daddy?"

I fought back my tears. "Yes, honey, it did."

"Oh. Goodnight, Mommy."

"Goodnight Emma."

"Hey Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"When's Daddy coming back?"

"I don't know, honey. I don't know."

After several minutes, I heard the light snores of my daughter and wished they were mine too, but I was dismayed to find I couldn't sleep anymore.

_"When's Daddy coming back?"_

_"I don't know."_

The truth was, I didn't know. I was almost 24 years old, living as a single mom and I didn't even know where the father of my own daughter was. He left. The hard thing about it was, I knew he was leaving. I was a month pregnant and I found out the love of my life and father of my child was leaving to fight in the war against Lord Voldemort. I never would have believed I could have felt as terrible as I did then. I didn't even think I could make it. Yet, here I was, making a steady income as an advice columnist for _Witch Weekly_ magazine, living as a single mother.

Sometimes, it was hard. Hell, it was more than hard. But Emma made up for it. If you were to ask me if I could go back in time, would I change the fact that I had her, I would answer no. Because, Emma was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I loved her more than anything.

Even though I often wondered what it would be like if I'd led a normal life, I reminded myself that I wouldn't have had Emma if I had. Some days, she asks me what happened to her dad and why he wasn't around and how come she never met him. It tore me apart inside to see her long for a dad. I tried dating other men, but none of them had the same affect Oliver had had on me. He treated me like I was the most amazing person in the world. He made me feel like there was no one else but me, and I loved it.

The day I found out I was pregnant, I cried and cried until my tears stung my cheeks. But when I told Oliver, he acted like it was the greatest thing in the world. He told me everything would be OK and that we were parents and that he'd be there for me every step of the way. A month later, he found out that he had to go leave to who knows where to fight against the darkest wizard of our time.

I begged him not to go. He begged the Ministry of Magic not to make him go. They didn't relent and 3 weeks later, he was gone. He came to see me the night before he left. I'll never forget that night.

**Flashback**

_"I love you more than anything," Oliver whispered. "You have to remember that." _

_I looked up at him, tears running down my face. "I love you too."_

_"Kates," he said, calling me by my old nickname. "Don't worry. I'll be back. You know I will. And when I come back, we can get married and we can raise the baby together. Don't worry, this will all be over soon." I sniffed and nodded as he pulled me closer to him. _

**End flashback**

And then the next morning, he was gone. I was miserable without him. For days, then weeks, and eventually months, I waited for a letter. Whenever Karma, my owl, brought me the mail, I'd leaf through all the letters, searching for one from Oliver, only to be disappointed. After about 6 months, I gave up hope.

Three months after I gave up hope, my life changed. I had Emma and everything turned around. I had to quit my job for the first couple months and after I found a babysitter, I managed to keep my job at Witch Weekly. It was hard and I found myself struggling. My friends managed to help me along the way and I was more than grateful for them.

My best friend, George Weasley, helped me the most. I remember we'd sometimes sit up at night, just talking about anything and everything. He helped me get through the first couple months as a mother until I finally got the hang of it.

And now, here I was, nearly 5 years later, trying to raise a daughter while living a normal life.

Hard? Yes.

Complicated? Most of the time.

A blessing? Definitely.

I lay, staring up at the ceiling next to my daughter until I finally dozed off.

(There you have it! How was it? Review and let me know! Also, look for my other new story, which I'll be updating soon!)


	2. I Walk Alone

(Thanks so much to those who reviewed! Just to let you know, this story is in no way affiliated with my other story, "I Never Told You What I Do For A Living." Read on!)

"Katie!" I was greeted by my friends as I entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Hey guys!" I said with a wave.

"Emma with the babysitter?" one of my best friends, Angelina, asked me. I nodded in response and threw my arms around my very best friend, George Weasley.

"What's new?" I asked.

He grinned. "I'm glad you asked," he said. "Here, look at this." He handed me a deck of cards. I stared at them, confused.

"I don't get it," I said. "What-"

BANG! The cards exploded and suddenly, there were tiny butterflies everywhere. "Like it?" George asked.

"Well, besides the fact it almost scared me out of my wits," I said. "It's pretty cool."

"I'm working on the sound," George told me. "I tried them on Ron and he nearly went deaf in one ear."

Fred, George's twin brother, entered from the back room. "Katie!" he exclaimed. "How's life treating you?"

"You mean how isn't life treating me?" I mumbled.

He smiled. "Want a piece of candy?" He held out a small candy, wrapped in shiny orange paper. I glared at him.

"You mean, do I want to be turned into a green duck?"

Fred shrugged. "It was worth a try."

"Well, I've got to go," I said, beginning to leave the shop. "I only stopped by to say hi. I've got to get to work."

"Hey Katie, wait," George called after me. "Are we still going to hang out on Saturday?"

I nodded "Definitely. See you later!" And I left the shop.

Since Witch Weekly Headquarters was pretty close to the twins' shop, I decided to walk. I watched as witches and wizards made their way in and out of shops, pausing to admire their purchases along the way.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a little boy ran past me, shouting and laughing. I jumped in surprise and a man hurried past me. "Sorry!" he called out. I smiled and gave him a small forgiving wave.

"Honey, wait up!" A young mother, carrying a baby in her arms, hurried after them.

One big happy family…… Something I would never know.

My parents had stopped talking to me when they found out I was pregnant and I hadn't seen or heard from them since. It didn't really bother me too much, we were never really that close.

The only thing that did bother me was I didn't know where my life was headed. Was it always going to be like this? Would I always be just a single mom, living in a flat with my daughter outside Diagon Alley? Would I ever be able to do the things I'd always planned to do? Would I ever reach the dreams I'd had since I was a little girl?

_I walk a lonely road,_

_The only one that I have ever known._

_Don't know where it goes, _

_But it's home to me and I walk alone._

Ever since I was a little girl, I had dreamed of becoming a reporter. I would go around my house, interviewing people just because I thought it was fun. For a while, I'd changed my mind and wanted to play quidditch for a living, but a month later, I was in the reporter phase again. Then I got pregnant and everything got screwed up. I was supposed to be a famous reporter making tons of money, married to the perfect guy. I was supposed to get my happily-ever-after ending.

The fact was, I was never going to get to do all the things I'd wanted. I'd adjusted to that, but it didn't mean I still didn't wish for them.

_I walk this empty street on the boulevard of broken dreams,_

_Where the city sleeps,_

_And I'm the only one and I walk alone._

I remember one day, Emma and I were at the park and all of the sudden, out of the blue, she asked, "How come I don't have a dad?" And I didn't know what to say.

"He's not here right now," I remember I'd told her. "He won't be back for a while." The war against Voldemort was still going on and no one could predict when it would end.

_My shadow's the only one that walks beside me._

_My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating._

_Sometimes, I wish someone out there will find me._

'_Til then, I walk alone._

A light rain began to fall as I reached Witch Weekly Headquarters. I checked in and made my way into my office. There was a new pile of letters in my inbox, all from people seeking advice. I tore one open and read:

_Dear Katie,_

_My mom and dad are constantly fighting. Lately, it's gotten a lot worse and it really upsets me. I really don't want them to get a divorce, so what can I do to help?_

_-Sarah K._

I sighed. I got letters like this all the time. I put it in the pile of letters to publish the reply and opened another letter.

_Dear Katie,_

_My boyfriend and I are getting really serious. Recently, I let him move in with me. I really think he's the one for me, but whenever I suggest we get married, he avoids the subject. Does this mean he doesn't care about me? Do you think he could be using me?_

_-Laura M._

I shook my head to myself. He probably was using her. Either that or he feared commitment.

There was a knock on the door and my friend and co-worker, Cho Chang, appeared in the doorway. "Hey," she said. "Did you hear about You-Know-Who?"

I shook my head. "No."

"He's been sighted," Cho told me.

"Do you think they'll get him?" I asked.

Cho shrugged. "Remember last time he was sighted?" she asked. "He got away effortlessly."

I nodded in agreement. "I bet it's probably not even him."

"Probably not. Anyway, here's a few more letters." She tossed them to me. "Get anything good yet?"

I shook my head. "Fighting parents and a boyfriend afraid of commitment."

"Ooh, fun," Cho said sarcastically. "See you later."

"Bye."

* * *

By the end of the day, after reading what seemed like hundreds of letters, I was finally ready to go home. I shut and locked my office door and began to leave. "Bye Katie!" I heard Cho call as I passed her office. I gave her a little wave and continued toward the main doors, when all of a sudden, hundreds of owls shot through an open window.

"What the-" I ducked as people began shouting and papers flew everywhere. Then, as quickly as they had come, the owls were gone.

"What the hell was that all about?" someone wondered aloud.

"Look at this place! It-"

"OH MY GOD!" Everyone turned to look at Frank, the head editor. "They got him!" he exclaimed. "They got You-Know-Who!" We stared at him in disbelief. The building was so quiet, you could have heard a quill drop.

"What?" someone finally asked.

"You-Know-Who!" Frank exclaimed. "Potter got him! Look at your letters!" I looked at my feet and saw a letter. I picked it up and tore it open as several other people did the same.

**ATTENTION**

_The death of Lord Voldemort is secure. Harry Potter is being taken to St. Mungo's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. _

_All of the known Death Eaters have been captured and are being questioned about any unknown Death Eaters. They will each be given separate appeals, though all will be guaranteed some time in Azkaban. _

_Those who have family, friends, or spouses in the Order of the Phoenix or any other organization, should expect their return within the next week._

_We give our sincerest regrets and sympathy to those who lost their loved ones. A complete list of deaths will be issued shortly. _

I stared at the letter. It was true. A deafening cheer went through the building. People began hugging each other and talking excitedly. I left the building without a word.

He couldn't be alive, could he? I mean, I never heard a word from him since he'd left. He would have at least written to me……

Tears formed in my eyes and I continued to walk home.

(There you have it. The part of the song used in this chapter was "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day. So, I hope you liked this chapter and review! So long, and goodnight.)


	3. Old Relationships, Big Surprise

The news of Voldemort's death spread rapidly throughout the wizarding world. That day, the only thing you heard of was how Harry Potter had saved us all and defeated the darkest wizard of our time. People partied and celebrated and everything seemed to go by so fast.

Witch Weekly was scrambling to put together an article and even I was asked to skip writing my advice column for the day to help out with the article on Voldemort's defeat. After work, I met up with George for dinner, leaving Emma with the babysitter.

The Leaky Cauldron was the noisiest I'd ever heard it. Young, elderly, and foreign wizards from everywhere were there, discussing the recent event.

As for me, I didn't know what to think. I hadn't slept at all the previous night and felt like I'd been trampled by a hippogriff. "Are you all right?" George asked me.

I nodded. "I'm fine," I answered.

"You sure?" George asked. "You don't look so good."

"Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean," George said.

"I'm fine seriously," I lied. "Just a stressful day at work. You know, with all the story coverage."

George nodded and we fell silent. I picked at my food, not really seeing it. As time went by, people came and went. George and I didn't hold much more conversation until we began to walk home.

We walked, George with his hands in his pockets, me staring at my feet, when he finally broke our long silence. "Do you think he'll be back?"

His question took me by surprise. "What?" I asked.

"You know," he said. "Oliver, do you think he'll be back?"My breathing grew faster and a chill went down my spine. I shivered and George must have noticed because he draped his jacket around me. I didn't respond, I just kept staring at my feet, watching them automatically step, putting one foot in front of the other. "You're going to have to face it eventually," George told me. "Whether he comes back or not, and if he does……"

"It doesn't matter," I finally said. "We don't need him."

"Katie-"

"Honestly, George," I said. "I've made it fine for nearly 5 years."

"I'm not talking about you," George said. "I'm talking about Emma."

"What?"

"Katie, Emma needs a father," George said. "She needs a dad around. You're a great mother, OK, but Emma needs a father in her life."

"George," I said hotly. "We don't need anyone."

"You may not," George said. "But Emma does."

"Emma doesn't need a dad!" I said. "We're fine."

"Well what are you going to do if Oliver doesn't come back?" George asked me. "Are you just going to keep telling her that you don't know where her dad is? That he just disappeared? Because eventually, she's going to figure it out."

"Oh, well excuse me. I'm sorry I can't just pick some guy up off the streets to be her dad. I guess it's just not that easy for me."

"Katie, you know what I mean," George said.

"Oh, well I'm sorry that I don't have time to date," I said sarcastically. "It's not like I'm a working single mother or anything."

"Well then let me help," George offered.

"I've already got a babysitter," I said.

"Well, why don't you just let me help a little?" George asked.

I sighed. "George, I appreciate you wanting to help me, but I'm ok. The war is finally over and maybe it's a sign that some good things are going to happen."

We were nearing my flat and I fished my keys out of my pocket. "Look, just forget I mentioned it, OK?" George finally said. "It was stupid to bring it up-" I hugged him.

"Thanks for caring," I mumbled, giving him a small smile. He tugged my ponytail.

"Anytime, Kates, anytime. Tell Emma I said 'hi.'"

I nodded and waved goodbye and watched him walk away before opening the door and greeting Emma and the babysitter.

* * *

The next day was Saturday and I had the day off, which was a blessing. I didn't get much sleep once again and had to choke down 4 cups of coffee. I met up with Alicia and Angelina to go shopping. Angelina brought her son, Kyle, along so Emma came with us as well. We walked through Diagon Alley, in and out of shops, buying things we needed, admiring things we wanted.

"Maybe I should get those shoes," Alicia wondered out loud.

"You just got shoes last week!" I exclaimed.

Alicia merely shrugged. "One can never have too many shoes."

"Amen," Angelina mumbled. "Kyle, don't touch that." We walked in silence for a while, passing busy witches and wizards with things to do.

"George really wants to help me out," I finally said, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" Alicia asked.

"I don't know," I replied. "He just told me that I need to find a father for Emma. I don't think he understands that I can't just marry some guy."

"Maybe he was referring to himself," Alicia said. I turned to look at her.

"Alicia, you know it's not like that between us-" I started

"Katie, things have changed," Alicia said. "I mean. A lot has happened over the past few years."

"George and I have been friends since Hogwarts," I said. "There's nothing like that between us."

"But things have changed so much," Alicia protested. "I mean, look how much he's helped you."

"I know," I said. "And you know that it means a lot to me, but you also know it's not like that. George is just being George-always wanting to help out."

"Do you think…… do you think Oliver will…… you know," Angelina mumbled quietly. I saw her and Alicia exchange glances and I sighed.

"You know I don't know," I replied.

"Well, if he does come back, what are you going to do?" Alicia asked. I fell silent.

What would I do?

"I don't know," I answered. "But let's face it, he's probably forgotten all about me."

"Katie, he couldn't just forget about you," Angelina said. "There had to have been a reasonable explanation for why he's never written."

"Yeah? Well, I'd like to know what it is," I mumbled. "But it doesn't matter anymore. He's been out of my life for nearly 5 years and I don't really care anymore."

Suddenly, Emma took off in a run. "What the-Emma, come back here!" I yelled.

"Daddy!" I heard her call.

"Emma, come here right now!" I yelled again, chasing after her. I dodged around an elderly wizard as Emma clung herself to a man's leg. "Emma!" I scolded as I reached her. I picked her up and gave her a stern look. "Don't ever do that!" I turned to the man, still frowning at Emma. "I'm so sorry," I said as he turned around. "She thought you were-" My breath caught in my throat and I froze as the man stared back at me. "Oliver?"

(Wow, I'm so sorry about the long wait. My grandma died the other night and she'd been in the hospital for several weeks, so that consumed a lot of time. I've already written the next chapter for "I Never Told You…" but I still have to type it all up, which may take a while. Thanks for reading and review.)


	4. This Time Around

(You guys are the best reviewers in the world! Thanks so much!)

You know how I told Emma about that whole "when you fall in love, the world stops" thing? Yeah, I wish I could say that was a lie, but I guess not. Then again, I was hoping that it was just my mind.

I couldn't believe it. Oliver was just standing there, and I didn't know what to do or say.

"Katie?" he finally said. Yeah, this conversation was going just about nowhere.

"Daddy!" Emma exclaimed again. She extended her arms to him and he took her from me.

This was not happening. Every emotion had overcome me. Anger, happiness, hate, love, guilt…… I didn't know what to think.

Alicia and Angelina joined us and I know that they were just as shocked. Still, Oliver and I hadn't managed to say anything but each other's name. "Alicia, Angelina," Oliver said with a nod to them. I was getting a little pissed with the whole name thing, but what could I do? "Katie," Oliver said, once again, touching my arm. "I can't believe it's you."

"You know what, why don't we take Emma?" Angelina said, taking Emma from Oliver.

"But I wanna stay with Daddy!" Emma whined.

"How about I buy you and Kyle an ice cream cone?" Angelina bribed. Emma's face lit up and Angelina and Alicia each gave me a look before walking away. Half of me was grateful and the other half wanted to scream at them to come back.

"Maybe we should go somewhere private," Oliver suggested. I simply nodded, unable to find my voice. I followed him away from the busy alley to the park, where we walked along the stone path, past people who were enjoying their day, unaware of the horrible situations other people were going through at the same very moment. This had to be a dream. "I can't believe it," Oliver finally said, turning to face me. He wrapped his arms around me in a hug and I was surprised to find that I wasn't bawling my eyes out. Was I angry at him? Or was I happy? I didn't know. "Say something, please," Oliver begged.

I shook my head as an excuse to find my voice. "I don't know what to say," I finally admitted. And then the tears came. Oliver wrapped his arms around me, which didn't help in the least bit. "I thought you were dead," I said as I finally managed to speak.

He shook his head. "I'm as alive as I've ever been."

"But you never wrote-"

"I couldn't," Oliver said quickly. "If the letters had been intercepted, we'd both be in danger."

"But you couldn't write one small letter, at least to let me know you were ok?" I asked, anger overcoming me. Suddenly, I felt the past 5 years of grief that I'd experienced all coming out.

"I couldn't take the risk-" Oliver started.

"Oliver, you're the father of my child!" I exclaimed. "For 5 years I've been questioning whether I'd ever see you again, whether Emma would ever meet her dad!"

"Katie, you have to understand," Oliver said calmly. "I couldn't write you. If someone had found those letters, you could've been in danger, I could've been in danger, and the whole point of the war could've been exposed! I thought you'd understand!"

"Understand what?" I asked coldly. "You getting me pregnant and then leaving me for 5 years?"

His face fell. "You know that I didn't intend for that to happen."

"Well it did."

"I'm sorry!" Oliver exclaimed. "I told you that before I left! And, I told you that I'd be back and that I would have stayed if I could have! I thought you'd realize that."

"And I thought that you'd realize that waking up as a single mother everyday, not knowing where the father of your child is, not even knowing if he's alive, isn't exactly easy."

"I didn't want to leave you!" Oliver exclaimed. "You know I didn't!"

"But you did, Oliver!" I yelled. "You left me and Emma."

A heavy, terrible silence fell among us and tears continued to stream down my face. I looked at the ground. How could this be happening? One minute I'm living the life I'd been used to, the next minute I'm standing here fighting with Oliver. "Look Katie," he said, taking my hand. "Let's just forget about all of this and start off where we left."

I yanked my hand away. "You think it's that easy!" I exclaimed. "You think you can just come back into my life and act like everything's OK?"

"Katie, you're not the only one who's been struggling these past 5 years!" Oliver said.

"……What do you mean?"

"I've been living in hiding, barely knowing where I am, myself, all at the expensive of one man who thinks it's OK to kill off the world."

"You're the one who chose to leave," I pointed out.

"I didn't choose to leave!" Oliver defended. "You _know_ I didn't want to go!"

"But you did!" I was practically screaming. People were staring at us, and I ignored them.

"Why are you so mad at me if you know I didn't have a choice!" Oliver asked.

"How could I not be mad at you?" I yelled back. "You left me to be a 19 year-old single mother!"

"And I was a 20 year-old father living thousands of miles away without his girlfriend or daughter!" Oliver retorted. "You're not the only one who had to deal with this situation!"

"Oh, really, and you were there when Emma was born?" I asked. "And you were there when she first could walk and when she first could talk? You were there when she got pneumonia and I had to rush her to the hospital at 2 in the morning?"

"No, but I wish I could have been!" Oliver said. "Katie, we're not going anywhere with this."

"Well, are we still fighting?"

"Yes."

"And am I still angry."

"Yes-"

"Then honey, we are where we are!" I exclaimed. Oliver sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You know what?" I finally said. "I'm going home. I don't what to deal with this. I have to go. I'm leaving."

I started to walk away but Oliver called after me. "That's it? You're just going to walk away and leave me?"

I whipped around. "Yeah, pretty much. Let me know how it feels."

* * *

When I got home, I found Angelina, Kyle, and Emma all sitting in the living room, waiting for me. Angelina attacked me with questions and I waved her off, thanking her for watching Emma. I knew she was mad at me for not telling her what happened, but I couldn't even handle it myself. "I just have to think it over," I explained. Angelina nodded.

"Do you want me to take Emma for the night?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Well, aren't you and Oliver going to be you know, figuring things out together?"

I shrugged. "Nope."

"So you got everything resolved?"

I shrugged again. "Doesn't matter," I said carelessly. "He can leave and never come back. After all, I'm used to it."

"Katie, you can't do that," Angelina said. "He's Emma's dad. You can't just cut him out of your life, let alone her life. You guys are supposed to be together."

"Not now, we aren't."

"Well, let me take Emma," Angelina offered. "It'll give you some time to clear your mind." I sighed and hugged her.

"Thanks."

She nodded and I said goodbye to Emma and they left.

I took a shower and went straight to bed, but couldn't sleep. There were too many thoughts in my head. I couldn't believe this was happening. I'd never prepared myself for this, because I honestly didn't think Oliver would ever come back.

But how could he just come back and act like nothing happened? So much has happened. He barely knows Emma, but he wants to just automatically be her dad? It just isn't that simple. I mean, I never really got over him, so it isn't exactly easy just letting him come back. And what if he's only back because he knows he has to because he has a kid? Emma's the only reason he's back. I mean, I'm grateful that he cares about her enough to be willing to be her dad, but what if that's the only reason he returned? Why else would he come back?

* * *

The next morning I woke to the sound of the doorbell ringing. I groaned and attempted to fix my hair as I hurried to the door. I pulled it open and immediately wanted to slam it shut again. I should have known.

"Hey," Oliver said. I took a deep breath and stepped aside, letting him in. "Where's Emma?" he asked.

"Angelina took her for the night," I told him. He looked disappointed.

"You've gone nearly 5 years without seeing her. One more day won't make a difference." I guess my bitterness hadn't subsided.

"Can we just talk?" he asked. "And I mean actually talk."

I sighed. "Fine. Let me go get dressed. And don't leave and come back in 5 years." I hurried into my room and pulled on a T-shirt and jeans, before brushing my teeth and hair and hurrying back into the living room, where Oliver was still sitting. "OK, talk," I said.

Oliver sighed. "Why are you so angry at me?" he asked.

"Oh, let me see…… because you got me pregnant and then left me?"

"First of all, you know I didn't mean to get you pregnant," Oliver said. "Besides, I seem to recall you being OK with it."

"You think I was OK with being pregnant at the age of 19!" I exclaimed.

"No, but I don't remember you being this mad at me back then."

"That was before you left me!"

"And there's another point," Oliver said. "You know very well that I didn't want to leave you. And, I know very well that you remember the day we went to the Ministry of Magic together to plead them to let me stay." I fell silent. He had me there. "And I think you also know that I loved you more than anything. And I know that you felt the same."

I sighed and looked up at him. "I still do."

(There you have it. It wasn't all that great, and I apologize. I do hope you won't give up on me here. Review and let me know what you think.)


	5. Letters to You

Much thanks to: SnowHedwig05, Nyx-Night, baby.rap, TooSweet4Words, Bookgoddess (I read the latest chapter of your story, but didn't get around to reviewing! I'll write one later,) softballgeek291, Doodleflip, ArtemisPotter, TellAllYourFriends (are you a Taking Back Sunday Fan?), Spexy, HARU is my LOVELY, forgotmyself, x3BrokenSonnetx3, thesunislikeatoyballoon, pleeezd, Jo-AnnMarie, switchfootlover, Lady of Masbolle, oliverlover, and brilliant-author. If I skipped you, I apologize, I promise I'll get you next time.

Also thanks to: Bethany wood- Yes, yes, I know, how on earth could anyone shout at Oliver Wood? I too would have ravaged him in the middle of the street. :sighs dreamily: Thanks for your review!

Lyra Sakura: I hate stories where they're all "I love you, tee hee hee." And don't worry, I'm a nerd too, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. Thanks for your review!

Fizzing Whizbeez- Aw, that chapter wasn't supposed to be a tearjerker. Don't worry, it did make my friend cry too. And of course you can never get enough of Oliver! Who can, besides some sick, horribly and emotionally disturbed person? I'm sorry to hear about your "drug problem" but don't worry, I'm here for you. Though I don't know how much of a help it is if I keep writing. OK, I'm going on about useless stuff. Thanks though!

And of course, my bestest friend Arin- Heck yes! Warped Tour this summer with the guys! Can't wait. I just hope it wasn't too much like Taste of Chaos. That was a little hectic. Except when we met Frankie. :sighs: Eh, we need to go shopping. So yeah, things are totally getting screwed up with David and Eric. I have the weirdest issues, I swear……

On with the chapter!

OK, did I really still love Oliver? One minute I'm mad at him, the next minute I tell him I still love him. Maybe I should just blame that on hormonal imbalance or something. Then again, it's not like I'm pregnant or anything. Oh God, let's not go there.

So, I was in a huge rut with myself. If I took him back, I'd be totally happy. If I didn't take him back, I'd be totally unhappy. So why not take him back? Oh yeah, now I remember, the only reason he came back in the first place was because we have a kid. I don't want him to be tied down to me, plain and boring Katie.

"I don't see what the problem is," Oliver said. "Katie, why can't you just forgive me?"

"I can't forgive you because it's not that simple!" I exclaimed. "Oliver, I don't think you understand. You left me. You left me when I was pregnant with our baby. You left me alone."

"And I don't think you understand that I didn't want to!" Oliver said. "Katie, you know that I loved you. You know that I wouldn't have left. I didn't have a choice. And it's not all my fault. You're the one who got pregnant."

Ooh. Ouch. Oh no, he didn't.

"It's my fault!" I practically screamed. "It's my fault?"

"It's not all your fault," Oliver said quickly. "It was both our mistake. But I mean, what happened? You were so happy, I was so happy. You agreed with me when I said we could get through it. Now look at you. You're a great mother. Now let me do my part."

"No," I said. "Because you're only doing this because you have to. But you don't have to. Emma and I have gotten along fine without you."

"But I haven't gotten along fine without you!" Oliver said.

"Well, you obviously made it out OK, since you never wrote," I snapped.

"I told you, I couldn't!" Oliver defended. "We both would have been in danger."

"I think you could have managed just one simple letter," I insisted. "Even just a 'Hello, how are you?' would have been fine."

Oliver sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a huge stack of parchment, tied together with a piece of string, and tossed them to me. I noticed some of the pieces of parchment were torn and faded as I untied the string. "Count them," Oliver told me.

I looked up at him. "Oliver, I can't count them, there must be nearly-"

"One thousand, five-hundred and forty-two," Oliver finished. I stared at him. "That's how many letters there are, Katie," he said. "One thousand, five-hundred and forty-two. I wrote you everyday since I left. Every single day."

"_I need some more time to fix this. _

_Here's a letter for you, but the words get confused,_

_And the conversation dies._

_Apologize for the past."-Blink-182_

I looked down at the letters in my hand in disbelief. "Every day?" I repeated.

Oliver nodded. "Every day. So, you can't tell me that I never wrote, because I did. And when I wasn't writing to you, I was thinking about you." I fell silent. "Well if that's all you have to say," Oliver said. "I'll just go. I'll be back to see Emma later." And he left.

The silence of the room was deafening. I sighed and fell back onto the couch and looked at the letters in my hand. One thousand, five-hundred, and forty-two. Every single day. Some of the letters were just tiny pieces of parchment, others were several pages long. I unfolded a letter and began to read.

_Dear Katie,_

_It's only been a day and I miss you already. All of this is so stupid. I'm only one person, I don't make a difference so I don't see why I have to be here. I miss you so much and I can't believe I have to be here rather than with you. I hope you're not mad at me for leaving. I didn't want this to happen, and I hope you know that. As soon as I get back, I want everything to go back to normal. I want to spend more time with you and eventually with the baby. I can't believe this. We're parents. That's so weird, thinking of myself as a dad. But it's so exciting too. _

_Everybody here hates this just as much as I do. This should be illegal, forcing people to go fight in the war. But, I guess I can't do much about it. _

_Love you lots,_

_Oliver_

Tears filled my eyes and I smiled to myself. I refolded the letter and set it aside to read another letter.

_Hey Gorgeous,_

_Wow, this sucks so bad. I have the worst headache imaginable. I hate this so much. _

_What about you? I'm guessing this is about your 6th month. I'd do anything to be there with you. I hope you're getting along OK. I miss you so much. It kills me to think you're all alone in this. I hope you don't think I abandoned you. I can't wait to be back with you. You have no idea how much I miss you. My birthday is tomorrow. What a way to celebrate it. This all has to be over eventually though. When it is, the first thing I'm going to do is find you. I love you so much, Gorgeous._

_Love,_

_Oliver_

I smiled to myself. He always used to call me Gorgeous and I hated him for it. Well, I made it seem like I hated it but truthfully, I always looked forward to it. Oliver always knew how to flatter me and make me feel special. I went on to read another letter.

_Katie,_

_Can you believe it? It's been two years since I left. 2 damn years. This is so unfair. Two years ago, I left you at the train station. Two years ago, I was supposed to be a dad. Two years ago, my whole life was ruined. I'll tell you, that's 2 years too many. How much longer is this going to go on? It pisses me off so much. We're never going to find him. I've given up my life just so we can find someone who we're never going to find. It's unfair to you, it's unfair to me, and it's unfair to-can you believe it? I don't even know the name of my own child. Hell, I don't even know if it's a boy or girl. How hopelessly pathetic is that? I don't even know anything about my own child. _

_Do you remember the time we snuck out after curfew back at Hogwarts? And do you remember the time Professor McGonagall found us snogging in the broom closet after dark and you told her you were sleep walking and I was trying to help you? And the first time I kissed you? Man, that slap hurt really bad… Remember when you beat up Marcus Flint but persuaded Professor Flitwick into thinking that he fell down the stairs? God, I miss you so much. _

_What happened to us, Katie? What happened to the life we had? I was supposed to play quidditch for Puddlemere and you were supposed to be a reporter. We were supposed to have a life together. We were supposed to get married. Yeah, whatever happened to that? Katherine Bell, promise me that when I return, you'll marry me. _

_I'll be counting down the days, Gorgeous. _

_Oliver_

I tossed the letters aside and covered my face with my hands. I took a deep breath to prevent myself from bursting into tears. What had I done?

* * *

Later in the evening, Oliver came back to see Emma. I watched as she ran to him and jumped up into his arms and I had the urge to do the same myself. "Mind if I take her out for a little bit?" Oliver asked.

I sighed and shook my head. "No, go ahead, but be back by 8:30."

Oliver nodded. "Why don't you come with us?"

I looked up at him. "Oh, I better not-" I started.

"Come on, come with us," Oliver begged. "Please?"

I sighed again. "Fine."

As we walked through Diagon Alley, I stared at my feet, not saying a word. Oliver had his hands stuffed in his pockets and Emma skipped along, unaware of the uncomfortable situation. "So," I finally mumbled. "Where are we going?"

Oliver shrugged. "I just wanted to walk…… spend time with you."

I held my breath. Great, just great. "About those letters," I mumbled. "Um, did you mean everything you wrote?"

Out of the corner of my eye, Oliver nodded. "Yeah, I did."

I fell silent. What exactly was I supposed to say to that? How is it that I can complicate the simplest situations? "Oh," I finally managed to mumble. He didn't respond and we continued on walking. "I'm sorry," I finally blurted out. I went back to staring at my feet.

"For what?" Oliver asked.

"You know," I said. "For acting so……" Oliver nodded.

"It's OK," he said.

I sighed. "No, it's not OK," I protested. "I mean, I was just so…… I don't know. I guess I just thought I'd never see you again. And Emma does need a dad, but I just freaked out. After nearly 5 years, you came back, wanting everything to be normal again, but so much has changed."

Oliver nodded again. "I guess I should have realized that," he admitted. "But I was so worried that, I don't know, you'd already found another dad for Emma. Or I was worried that something had happened to one of you. I mean, for the past 5 years, I've been completely isolated. I didn't know a thing that was going on."

We fell silent again, the only sound was of Emma humming. "So what now?" I finally asked.

Oliver shrugged. "Now I guess you have to take me back."

(Sorry about the delay! I'm officially on summer break so I definitely hope to be writing more. I've got 2 jobs, one is everyday and one is once a week, but they shouldn't interfere. At least I hope not. However, I will be taking a trip to Boston to see a Red Sox game and then I'll be going to Warped Tour, so that might delay a little bit. So, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I don't know why, but I really do for some reason. Oh, and Jude Law is **damn** sexy. Annnnyway, review and thanks so much!)


	6. Fear of Commitment

_Dear Katie,_

_I absolutely adore my new boyfriend. The only thing is, he has a total fear of commitment. We've only been dating for 3 months, but I brought up the topic of marriage (casually) and he freaked out. I don't plan to get married for a while, but even the thought of marriage makes him nervous. Will he get over it, or should I be concerned?_

_Alice_

What is it with men and the fear of commitment? Especially when they always say, "I love you" but then avoid the subject of marriage. If they love you so much, why don't they want to marry you? If the thought of being tied down so much bothers them, they obviously can't love you, can they? Sometimes I wonder why the earth has to be infested with men. Then again, I guess that totally throws the whole process of reproduction.

_Dear Katie,_

_My mom completely hates my new boyfriend! I can't figure out why. He's sweet, he's funny, he's understanding…… what's not to like? I can understand why she could express concern, but she totally hates him! What can I do to get her to see how great he really is?_

_Kristen_

Of course, the overprotective mother. The mother who automatically hates all of your friends. The mother who thinks no guy is good enough or that all guys are evil. The mother who thinks 7:00 is an appropriate curfew. The mother who thinks mini-skirts are the sluttiest things on the face of the earth. Ah yes, that type of mother. OK, maybe I'm being a little bitter. Maybe there really is something wrong with the girl's boyfriend and the mom is just caring. Those types of situations are never easy to figure out, especially when you don't know the people. I tossed the letter into the reject pile.

It was 3:00 in the afternoon on a Monday. All I can say is, I'm definitely not a Monday person. I'm especially not a Monday person when I'm under major stress and probably a little bit of PMS. I grabbed another letter from my stack of what seemed like thousands.

_Dear Katie,_

_I'm having a bit of an issue with my boyfriend. He tells me that he loves me all the time, but I think I have a fear of commitment or something. I love him, I really do, but I'm just scared. What if something goes wrong and it doesn't work out? What if he gets tired of me? What if he doesn't really love me and just wants something else? But then, when I think about it, I know he loves me. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. So what's my problem? I've got a great guy and I'm afraid of him. Why can't I see how great he is?_

_Anna_

Now there's another story. _Women _afraid of commitment. I bet she has the perfect Mr. Wonderful and is just too stupid to see it. I bet the guy loves her more than anything and she's just scared of something that isn't there. I put the letter in the reject pile.

By the time 5:00 came, I was in a bad mood. The previous night had been extremely stressful and I just wanted to go home and be alone in my self-pity.

When I got home, I realized that today definitely wasn't my day. When I opened the door, I could hear Emma giggling and a man laughing. 'What the…?' I thought. I made my way into the kitchen where Oliver and Emma were covered in flour.

"Katie!" Oliver exclaimed. "You're home early."

I frowned. "Oliver, it's 5:15. I always get home at this time. Where's the babysitter?"

"I sent her home," Oliver replied. "Emma and I were going to bake you a cake as a surprise."

Underneath the flour that was all over her face and hair, Emma grinned at me. "Daddy wanted to make you feel better!" she said. She threw her arms around my leg, getting flour all over my pants. I smiled at her and picked her up.

"Why don't you go into the bathroom and wait for me?" I asked. "You need to get washed up." Emma nodded and hurried off.

I looked around my kitchen and sighed. There was flour everywhere. "Sorry," Oliver apologized. "I'll clean it up."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. What are you doing here?"

Oliver brushed some flour out of my hair. "What do you mean?"

"Oliver, I thought I made it clear to you last night that I need some time to think," I said.

**Flashback to the previous night**

"Now I guess you have to take me back."

"Take you back?" I repeated.

"What's the problem?" Oliver asked. "I thought we were on the same page."

"Same page? Oliver, we're in completely different books! You haven't been here for the past 5 years! You can't just jump into our lives."

"I'm not trying to 'jump in' to your lives," Oliver defended. "I just want back in."

"Well I need time to think about it," I told him. "I just can't…… I can't figure it out, not yet at least."

"Katie, I don't understand. There's nothing to think about."

"There's everything to think about!" I insisted. "Just give me some time, OK?"

Oliver sighed. "OK."

**End Flashback**

"Katie, I can't just stay away," Oliver said. "I've been away for 5 years! I'm not going to just leave."

"Well I can't think clearly when you're around!" I exclaimed.

"Why not?"

"Because……"

That's where I realized it. I didn't have a reason. I was just stalling to keep from doing what I knew was right. The kitchen fell silent and I stared at my feet. "Why can't you just accept me?" Oliver asked. "You said it yourself, you still love me or was that a lie?"

I shook my head. "I wasn't lying," I said. "I'm afraid, OK?" That's when the tears came. "I'm afraid that maybe……hell, I don't know what I'm afraid of! I'm just afraid!"

"You don't have a reason to be afraid," Oliver insisted, taking my hand. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Yeah, and how would you know?" I demanded, tears streaming down my cheeks. "You haven't been here. You don't know anything about me. You don't know anything about Emma. All you know is that we're stuck here. All you know is that for some stupid reason, I still love you and you think that's a reason for everything to go back to the way it was."

"It _is_ a good reason!" Oliver protested. "I think _you_ need a reason as to why we _can't_ go back to the way it was."

"I already told you, I'm afraid!" I exclaimed. "I don't know what of, but I'm afraid."

"But you don't need to be afraid!" Oliver said, taking my other hand, his eyes meeting mine.

"But I am!"

"Then marry me."

(Don't hate me for what I just did. I'm sorry for being so terribly mean. Ah heck, who am I kidding? I love it! I just hope you won't chase me down with pitchforks and torches. I'll update ASAP. Anyway, thanks SO MUCH to everyone who reviews, I love you all!)


	7. Uncertainties and Advice

(Thanks to all the fabbity-fab reviewers! You guys are flippin' sweet!)

"What?" I whispered.

"Let's get married," Oliver repeated. I stared at him and felt a headache coming on.

"Oliver, we can't get married!" I sputtered.

"Why not?"

"Because…… because we just can't!" I exclaimed.

"Why not?" Oliver demanded again. "If we both want to be with each other, I don't see the problem."

"And you think getting married is going to fix everything?" I asked. "You think if we just get married, everything will go back to normal?"

"Yes! I don't see the problem!" Oliver exclaimed.

"You've only been back for a few days!" I pointed out.

"So? That doesn't matter! Please, Katie. Let's just get married."

"No!" I exclaimed, jerking my hand away from him. "We can't get married! It's not supposed to be like this."

"Yes we can!" Oliver insisted.

"No, we can't," I said, frustrated. "It's not supposed to be like this. I mean, this isn't the way a proposal goes, standing in my kitchen with flour in our hair! We're supposed to be underneath a sunset with a thousand red roses everywhere and I'm supposed to be wearing a perfect dress and it's just not supposed to be like this! It's supposed to be a beautiful moment, not a stressful one."

_I hate the world today. You're so good to me,_

_I know, but I can't change._

_Try to tell you, but you look at me like maybe, _

_I'm an angel underneath, innocent and sweet_.

"_You're_ the one making it stressful!" Oliver exclaimed. We fell silent and he took my hand again. "I just don't get it," he said. "Why don't you want to be with me?"

_Yesterday, I cried. _

_You must have been relieved to see the softer side._

_I can understand why you'd be so confused._

_I don't envy you._

_I'm a little bit of everything. _(Credit to Meredith Brooks for the song.)

"I _do_ want to be with you," I said. "I'm just……scared."

"Scared of what?" Oliver asked. "It's not like I'm going to abuse you or something."

"That's not what I mean," I said. "I'm just afraid. I'm afraid that things won't turn out. What will that do to Emma? She won't have a father and I won't know what to do."

"What makes you think things won't turn out?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I don't want things to get screwed up again."

"Then we won't let them," Oliver said simply.

It's funny how he can make light of such a complicated situation. Does he really think that getting married with solve everything? "Oliver, I love you, but I can't marry you," I said. "Not now at least."

"Fine," Oliver said. "But just tell me that someday, there's a chance."

I looked at the ground and back up at him. "Someday, there's a chance."

* * *

"Oliver!" Fred and George exclaimed as Oliver and I entered Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. 

"The girls told us you were back and we couldn't believe it," George said. "Where are you staying?" He glanced at me.

"With my parents," Oliver answered immediately, glancing at me too.

"George," I said. "Mind if I have a word with you?" Without waiting for an answer, I grabbed his arm and dragged him into the back storage room.

"What's the matter?" George asked. "What'd I do?"

"I'm begging you not to screw this up," I pleaded. "Please don't."

"Wait, are you two together already?" George asked.

"I don't……I don't know," I answered.

"How can you not know?"

"I just don't," I said. "I mean, we talked things over and we might."

"What do you mean 'you might'?" George asked. "Katie, you can't just say you don't want to be with him. He's Emma's dad. You have to know."

"I know," I said. "I know. We're just……taking our time."

"Are you sure that he's sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" I exclaimed. "George, he asked me to marry him."

He stared at me. "And what did you say?" he demanded.

"I said no, of course!" I exclaimed. "I can't just marry him and pretend everything's OK."

"Good, that's good," George said. "So……you two are just……"

"We're just going to take our time," I said. "Because I don't want to mess things up again."

"Katie, you didn't mess things up. Oliver had to leave. That wasn't your fault."

"Either way, I don't want to screw it up," I said. "I have to make this work, for Emma's sake."

"What about for your sake?"

"What?"

"What about you?" George asked. "What about what you want? Do you want to be with him?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do."

"OK, good then."

"George, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"……Does it bother you that Oliver's back?"

"Of course not," he replied. "I just want to make sure you'll be all right."

"I'll be all right when you ask Alicia on a date," I teased. He glared at me and I laughed. "Just keep it in mind." I turned and made my way out the door.

* * *

"I'd like to inquire you with a thought," Oliver said in my kitchen a week later. 

"Yeah, and what would that be?" I asked.

"You and I go on a date tonight."

"A date?"

"Yeah, a date. You know, go out to dinner or something."

"Oliver, I don't think I can get a babysitter on such short notice. I don't think-"

"It's already been arranged," Oliver cut in. "I already asked Angelina."

"Angelina? Oliver, I've already asked her so many times to watch Emma. You should've asked Alicia."

"I did," Oliver told me. "But she couldn't. She's going on a date with George."

I smiled to myself. "Oh…… you're sure Angie doesn't mind?"

"She said it's no problem." I sighed. "Come on Gorgeous, please?" Oliver begged.

"…………Fine."

Have you ever had one of those nights when you know you're exhausted but you just can't sleep? You toss and turn and try to force yourself to sleep but you just can't. Yeah, this was one of those nights. So, my date with Oliver was…… nice. OK, who am I kidding, it was spectacular. I shouldn't have gone…… I knew that this would happen. We'd have the perfect evening and then I'd almost believe things would be OK between us. OK, so why was I so against having Oliver back in my life?

1. He doesn't understand how different things are.

2. It's going to be really hard going back to where we were, especially now that we have Emma.

3. What if he leaves again?

4. What if something goes wrong? Emma still won't have a dad and I'll be going through a hard break-up.

But I had to think of Emma and her needs first, and the truth was…… she needed a dad and she wanted Oliver. I wanted Oliver too, but I was just too afraid of ruining everything. So that's where it came to me. At 2:14 AM. My fear of ruining everything was going to ruin everything anyway. I'd become the person that I was always giving advice to. The girl that feared commitment. So why not just take a chance? I went over my list of reasons why in my mind again. It seemed like I was the one who needed advice for once. That's why I took off a half a day of work the next morning to talk to George.

I'd thought about what Angelina and Alicia had said, about him liking me, but that's so juvenile. We were adults now and if George really did have feelings for me, he definitely would have done something about it by now. Besides, did he not ask Alicia out on a date the previous night?

"Tell me, George," I said. "What do you honestly think? I know you're not in this situation but I need some advice or something."

"Katie, I don't see why you're so worried," George said. "Oliver loves you, vice-versa. What's the problem?"

"The problem is, what if things don't work out?" I asked.

"Judging by the way he was all over you yesterday, I doubt Oliver's ever going to want to leave you," George muttered.

"What?" I laughed incredulously. "He was not 'all over me.'"

"OK, OK, maybe not 'all over you', but I highly doubt he's going to be breaking your heart anytime soon."

We fell silent and I stared into my tea. "I'm really stupid, aren't I, George?" I mumbled. He scooted his chair next to mine and draped an arm around me.

"Not stupid," he said. "Just a bit dim." I gave him a look and he smiled. "But seriously," he said. "If you want my input, take him back. Do yourself and Emma a favor."

"OK," I agreed with a nod. We fell silent again and I smiled. "So tell me about your date with Alicia."

(There you have it. Review and let me know what you think. OK, I know it was boring, but review anyway.)


	8. Making Progress

(Wow. It has been AGES. I am SO sorry, that it's taken me so long to update. However, I decided that in light of the GOF movie coming out soon, I'd put off studying to give you all a little to read. This is pretty short, but I hope it's OK. Review!)

Weeks went by and things between Oliver and me progressed slowly but gradually. Emma was at the point where she absolutely adored him, but I think he adored her more. As for me, work had slowed down a lot so I found myself going home earlier to be with them. With Lord Voldemort finally gone, there was less work to be done.

Saturday night, after going to dinner with Oliver, I came home and fell asleep almost immediately. I woke up the morning and nearly rolled out of bed until an arm grabbed me. I screamed and flailed my arms, tangling myself up in my sheets. "Katie!" a voice exclaimed. "It's just me! Calm down!" I stopped struggling and stared at Oliver for a moment.

"You know," I said. "This could be considered illegal."

"Sorry," he said with a smile. "I didn't mean to scare you. But I have good news."

"You just saved a ton of money on car insurance?"

He rolled his eyes. "No, here." He handed me an opened letter.

"Um, I think you've already given me enough letters to last a lifetime," I said.

"Just read it."

I unfolded the piece of parchment and read:

_Dear Mr. Wood,_

_It is in our best interest to welcome you back into our league. We are very excited to have you back in our program. We look forward to seeing you at training camp, which begins next month. _

_Sincerely, _

_Raina Regalato_

_Puddlemere United_

I looked up at Oliver, my eyes huge. "Are you serious?" I asked.

"No, I just wrote a fake letter for no reason," Oliver said sarcastically.

"Well, this is great!" I exclaimed. "You get to play for Puddlemere again!"

"Well it's just the training camp," Oliver pointed out. "It's not like I'm on the actual team."

"But you will be in no time," I said. "Ol, this is great!" And without thinking, I threw my arms around him and kissed him.

"Mommy! Where are you?"

I jumped off of Oliver, falling over in the process. "I'm in here, Emma," I called out, standing up. I heard quick footsteps and Emma appeared in the doorway within seconds.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed, jumping on my bed to hug Oliver. I searched for something say, anything to keep Oliver preoccupied.

"Um, I'm going to go make breakfast," I said. "Oliver do you want anything?"

Oliver looked up at me, his eyes meeting mine and I glanced away. "Sure," he answered. I nodded and hurried out of the room into the kitchen.

I groaned inwardly as I opened the cupboards to find something to make but then sank into a chair at the table. I am so stupid. I could hear Emma giggling from the other room, and I sighed to myself. Trust me to do something stupid like that. I mean it was a good kiss. No, it was a great kiss, but what was I thinking?

As I finished making breakfast, Oliver and Emma came into the kitchen and sat down at the table. "So, what do you have planned for today?" Oliver asked me.

"I don't know," I said, avoiding his eyes. "Angie's taking Emma and Kyle to the park soon so I guess I'll get some work done."

"Oh."

"Mommy?"

"What is it, Emma?"

"I'm done eating. Can I go play?"

I nodded. "Sure, honey. Why don't you go get dressed so you'll be ready when Angelina and Kyle come?" Emma nodded and scurried out of the kitchen.

The silence was deafening. I carefully averted Oliver's gaze as I busied myself clearing the plates off the table. "So," Oliver finally said. "Are you just going to act like I'm not here?"

"Of course not," I replied, staring at the floor.

"Well then, why are you refusing to even look at me?"

I looked up at him. "I'm not." And I went back to staring at the floor. Oliver laughed slightly as his chair scraped and he stood up. He took my arm and pulled me closer to him.

"Then are you just going to act like you never kissed me?"

I sighed. "I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I just… I mean, I wasn't thinking and I-" He kissed me. Damn, he was good at this. I slipped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. There was a loud knock on the door and we pulled apart. Without saying anything, I made my way across the kitchen and through the living room and opened the door. A little boy shot past me into the room as Angelina stepped in after him.

"Hi Katie!" the boy exclaimed jumping up and down.

"Hi Kyle," I said with a smile. I looked Angelina, who was staring at me critically. I gave her a confused look and she shook her head slightly. I watched as her eyes grew wide as she looked over my shoulder.

"Oliver!" she exclaimed. "Fancy seeing you here."

I felt a tug on my pants and I looked down at Kyle. "Where's Emma?" he asked. I smiled at him.

"I'll go get her for you." And I went to get Emma. As I reentered the room, Angelina caught my eye and smirked at me.

'What?' I mouthed at her. She smiled and shook her head. I shot her a look and she glanced at Oliver, then back at me, and raised an eyebrow. My jaw dropped and I glared at her. She smirked again and looked away.

"Well, are you two ready to go?" she asked Emma and Kyle. They nodded exuberantly and she looked up at me. "We'll be back later this afternoon. Unless… you have other plans?"

"No," I said quickly. "Nothing."

I could tell she was trying to suppress a giggle. "Well, then we'll see you later. Bye, Oliver." And they left. I could hear the clock in the kitchen ticking as Oliver and I were left with more silence.

"This is awkward, isn't it?" Oliver finally asked. I nodded.

"Just a little."

"Well, maybe we should find a way to change that," he said, taking a step towards me. I caught myself smiling and looked up at him. He slipped his arms around my waist.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, trying to break free from him. He kept his arms locked around me. "Let me go!" I laughed.

"Not a chance."

"Let me go!"

"Kiss me first." I stopped struggling and met his eyes. We kissed for a moment and I felt his grip on me loosen. I smiled at him and he grinned back at me. "Are you sure we don't have any other plans?"

(Sorry to leave you hanging, but if I kept writing, this chapter would go on for years. Plus I have a game in an hour. Review!)


	9. We'll Be Fine

(Wow, it's been ages again. I hope none of you are dead or anything. Thanks to those of you who reviewed. I love you like Oliver loves quidditch. Which is a lot.)

"So," Angelina said, taking a sip of her tea. "What was that going on the other day?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, studying the table. It was Saturday and Oliver was spending the day with Emma, so Angelina and I decided to go out to lunch.

"Oh, come on," Angelina said. "You and Oliver, the other day."

"What about it?"

"Honestly, Katie, don't act so dense. What was Oliver doing at your place so early in the morning?"

"It wasn't that early. It was-"

"You know what I mean."

I shrugged. "He just came over to see Emma."

"Even though she was going to be leaving with Kyle and me?"

"He just wanted to-"

"I saw the guilty look on your face when you answered the door."

My jaw dropped. "I did _not_ have a guilty look on my face!" Angelina gave me a skeptical look. "Nothing happened!" I insisted.

"If nothing happened, explain to me why Oliver was at your place early in the morning and you were acting like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar."

"Nothing happened!" I repeated.

"Come on, Kate, that's a lie and you know it. Just admit that there's something going on between you and Oliver."

"Well of course there's something going on between us," I said. "He's Emma's father."

"Look, why can't you just admit that the two of you are together?"

"We're not together!" I exclaimed. "…At least not officially."

"Who says it has to be official? The two of you never broke up. Therefore, I think it's official."

"All I did was kiss him!" I exclaimed, rather loudly. Several people turned to look at us and I went back to staring at the table.

Angelina's eyes were wide. "_You_ kissed _him_!"

"Oh come on!" I said. "You're acting like we're 13!"

"So you _do_ like him!"

"Of course I do!" I said. "He's the father of my child! Just because he left doesn't mean I ever stopped lov-…liking him."

"Well then why are you so hesitant to admit it?"

"I don't know," I said truthfully. "I'm just not used to this. It's weird, you know? I've been technically single for the past 5 years and now Oliver's back all of the sudden."

"But he knows you better than anyone else," Angelina said. "The two of you have been together since… our 5th year."

"I know, and it's not like I don't feel comfortable around him or anything, but it's just… weird."

"He's crazy about you, you know that, right?"

I sighed. "He's just… Well I mean, we haven't seen each other in so long-"

"He's crazy about you, Katie. And if I'm right, which I always am, you're crazy about him too."

* * *

Thump!

"Oww!" I groaned, rubbing my head.

"Are you OK?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah," I mumbled, bending over to pick up the box that had fallen on my head.

It was a chilly morning and Oliver and I were cleaning the flat. Emma was napping and I figured we might as well make good use of time. "What's in that box anyway?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know," I replied. I opened the box and burst out laughing as the bearded faces of Fred and George stared up at me. I sat down on the floor to flip through more pictures. "Look at this," I said, showing Oliver a picture of the 2 of us in our quidditch robes. We were covered in mud and my hair was a mess, but we were both grinning. I flipped to the next picture and smiled. "Look at Angelina!" I laughed. "Look at her hair! Look at _my_ hair!"

"I like it," Oliver said. "It looks sexy." I elbowed him in the ribs and took the rest of the contents out of the box.

"Look! My old dress robes!" I exclaimed, pulling them out of the box. "Ooh, they're kind of short. This color is so pretty though! I remember wearing these to the Yule Ball."

"That was the year after I graduated, wasn't it?" Oliver asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, because I remember I went with Lee Jordan."

Oliver frowned. "I remember that too. I still never got to kill that-"

"We were just friends," I said. "Besides, he was sweet."

"He only liked you because you have nice-" I shot him a look. "Eyes… yeah you have nice eyes."

I glared. "He was nice and he was a good dancer."

"I'm a good dancer!" Oliver insisted. I thought a moment.

"I don't think I've ever seen you dance," I pointed out. "Which is why you'll be coming to the Weasleys' New Years Eve party with me."

* * *

A knock on the door chorused through the flat as I continued to fix my hair. "Karen, could you get that? I'm still getting ready," I called out to Emma's babysitter. I heard the front door open, followed by voices and Emma's laughter. I sighed as I tried a new style with my hair, then decided it looked bad and fixed it again. Deciding I looked decent enough, I pulled my shoes on and stepped into the living room. "Hi," I said, as Oliver put Emma down.

Oliver stared at me for a moment and I felt nervous. Did my eyeliner smudge? What about my lipstick? Was it too dark? Do I look fat in this dress? Maybe I _should_ have gone with that other hairstyle… "Wow," Oliver finally said. "You look… you look…" I waited for him to say something.

"Good?" I asked. "Bad? Terrible?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean… you look great… Yeah, you look really-"

I decided to put him out of his misery. "Ready to go?"

Snow was falling as we reached the Burrow. When Oliver went to open the front door, he frowned. "It won't open," he said. "It's stuck…"

"Oh no," I groaned. "Not again!"

"What? What is it?"

"Look up." Oliver looked above and then looked back down at me. "It's Kissletoe," I said. "One of the twins' inventions. The door won't open until we…" Oliver and I stood in silence for a moment, staring at each other. I shivered as the snow continued to fall until Oliver leaned over and kissed me. The door swung open and we both smiled.

"Well," Oliver said, holding out his arm. "Shall we?"

* * *

"Katie!" Molly Weasley threw her arms around me in a hug. "How are you doing, dear?"

"I'm doing well," I replied. "How about you?"

"Just fabulous," she replied. She opened her mouth to say something else, but then stopped. "Oliver?" She threw her arms Oliver as well and Oliver gave me a frightened look. I smiled at him as Mrs. Weasley released him. "I just don't believe it," she said. "The twins said you were back, but it's been years. How have you been?"

"Just fine," Oliver replied. "Things are getting back to normal."

"Well that's just wonderful, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "Listen dear, I must move on, but we'll catch up later. You too, Katie, dear." And she hurried off.

"Well then," Oliver said. "Want something to drink?"

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

Oliver shrugged. "It couldn't hurt, could it?"

* * *

"So," Angelina said. "How'd you get past the Kissletoe?"

I decided not to respond and she and Alicia smiled at each other. "Come on," I said. "Stop acting like we're teenagers."

"Was it a good kiss?" Alicia asked. I caught myself smiling and quickly stared at the floor. They both grinned again and I sighed.

"Are you done interrogating me?" I complained as Bill Weasley and his wife, Fleur passed by. Alicia and Angelina shrugged. "Good then. I'm going to go get more to drink."

Instead of getting a drink, I slipped out the back door into the garden. The air was chilly and I could see my breath as the snow fell lightly. "Mind if I join you?"

I turned around and smiled as Oliver shut the door behind himself. "I suppose so," I said. "But I'm not drunk, so don't bother to try anything."

"No problem," Oliver said. "I've got the whole night." I gave him a look and he smiled. "So what are you doing out here? A bit cold, isn't it?"

I shrugged. "Alicia and Angie… they wouldn't stop pestering me. I needed some time to think."

"About what?" Oliver asked.

"Just about… things."

"Good things? Bad things? Naughty things?"

I shot him another look and he smiled. "No… I was just thinking about… well, us to be truthful."

"What about us?"

"Just about how things have changed since our days back at Hogwarts and… everything in between."

**Flashback**

_"So then he faked to the right and I don't know, I just kinda turned that way. It was really bizarre. The quaffle bounced off my back and-"_

_"Oliver?"_

_"What?"_

_"I'm pregnant."_

_"What?"_

_"I'm pregnant."_

_"You're kidding, right?"_

_"No."_

_"Are you…are you sure?"_

_I nodded. "Yes." A deafening silence fell among us and I started to cry._

_"Katie, don't cry," Oliver said, putting his arms around me. "It'll be all right. We'll be fine. Honestly, we'll be fine."_

_"Oliver, I'm nineteen! I just started my job and you're at the top of your career! I can't do this."_

_"Yes you can. We both can. We'll be fine. We're going to be parents. We'll be fine."_

_"Can you promise me that?"_

_Oliver kissed me and his eyes met mine. "I promise." _

**End Flashback **

"Remember the time you pushed Professor Snape in the lake?" Oliver asked me.

"How could I forget?" I laughed. "I got detention for a month afterward."

The back door opened and Fred and George appeared. "There you are!" they exclaimed. "We don't know what the two of you are doing out here, but you'd best come inside. The garden gnomes like to come out about this time."

(I'm sorry if I bored you. Review! Have a happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Halloween… whatever you celebrate!)


	10. Never Better

(It has been ages! I'm so sorry, but life has become hectic. Semester exams are coming up and I have softball practice every night. Anyway, tell me, what do you think? Should I make this the ending? And be honest, don't tell me you want more, just because you want this story to keep going and going. Tell me if you think this makes for a good ending, but keep in mind that there WILL be an epilogue. I'm mainly thinking about ending this, because I've run out of ideas and it's becoming awfully dull. Plus, I've got some ideas brewing for some new stories, which I'm getting excited about writing. Oh, and this chapter is a bit short, and I'm sorry, but bear with me here.)

I woke up the next morning and felt someone sleeping next to me. Emma must have had another bad dream… I rolled over to see if she was all right and froze. Oliver? What the-? Oh yeah…

"Oliver," I whispered. He didn't respond. "Oliver, wake up." Still nothing. I poked him. He shifted around but still didn't wake up. "Wake up!" I said a bit louder, poking him on the face.

"Go away, Mummy," he mumbled. I held my breath to keep from laughing.

"Oliver Wood, this is your mother speaking," I said. "I want you to clean your room… and then we're sending you off to live with Professor Snape and McGonagall. They're going to be your new parents now."

"WHAT!" Oliver sat straight up, his eyes wide. He looked around for a moment and then looked at me.

"Good morning," I said cheerfully. He stared at me, still looking shocked.

"What time is it?" he finally asked.

I checked the clock. "About nine," I replied.

"Oh." We sat in silence for a moment, staring at each other. "So…" Oliver started. I didn't say anything. "Um, if you're my mother, wouldn't this be considered a bit… weird?"

I shrugged. "I always knew you were a mommy's boy… just not this much." He laughed and another silence fell among us. "Well, I guess I'll go make breakfast," I finally said. "And see if Emma's awake."

I found Emma still asleep in her bed and left her there, but before I could get breakfast started, the doorbell rang. I hurried through the kitchen and living room to answer it. "Hey Katie," Angelina and Alicia greeted me as I opened the door. "Ready to go?"

Uh-oh.

"Go where?" I asked.

They stared at me. "Shopping," Alicia replied. "Remember, we made plans yesterday?"

"Oh no, I completely forgot!" I exclaimed. "I just… I got so busy-I mean, something came up and-just let me go get dressed-"

I stopped rambling when I noticed both Alicia's and Angelina's expressions change. Their eyes grew wide and I quickly turned around. Oliver stood there, in his boxers, staring wide-eyed back at us. Ohhh shit. I turned back to Alicia and Angelina, who both had identical smirks across their faces. "Hello Oliver," Angelina said cheerily.

"Er… hi," was all Oliver could come up with.

"Katie, you didn't tell us you had other plans," Alicia said.

"I didn't-I don't," I said quickly. "Oliver was just… here to watch Emma." I shot Oliver a look and he nodded.

"Mmm hmm," Angelina mused, giving me a "you're-so-incredibly-busted" look. I guess the fact Oliver was in his boxers wasn't helping much… nor was it making any sense.

"I'm just going to get dressed," I said quickly, and I hurried off back to my bedroom. I could hear voices in the kitchen and groaned inwardly. I searched my mind for an excuse, but nothing came to me, except that there was a terrible storm last night and Oliver had to stay with me, because it wasn't safe to apparate and his clothes were soaking wet, which was why he was in his boxers, revealing his six-pack for all to see… But Angelina and Alicia weren't stupid… plus it hadn't rained last night. After getting dressed, I reluctantly made my way back to the kitchen, where everyone was sitting at the table. As I entered the room, I could feel their eyes on me. "Um… ready to go?" I asked.

"Ready when you are," Alicia answered. I carefully avoided Oliver's eyes and made my way toward the door. Feeling guilty, I turned back around, gave him a kiss and a "See you later" and proceeded out the door.

I can't believe I just left him there. I felt extremely guilty, but at the same time, couldn't help but laugh a little. Alicia, Angelina, and I walked in silence toward Diagon Alley, but they were both grinning. Eventually, it got to be too much and I sighed. "Will you two just say something?" I complained.

"Like what?" Alicia asked innocently.

"I don't know, anything," I said. "I know you're both dying to know."

"No we're not," Angelina said. A moment of silence followed and she sighed. "OK, yes we are. So what happened? We want to know everything."

"Wait a minute, I'm not sharing the vivid details!"

"OK then, just tell us… how did it happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, were you planning it?"

"No, of course not!"

"And how was it?"

My jaw dropped. "None of your business!" But apparently I was smiling, because they both grinned.

"So are you two serious now?"

"Well, I guess so," I answered. "You know I'm not the type to just sleep with anyone."

"But I mean… are you back to where you left off?" Alicia asked.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "We can't act like he never left. But I guess you could say it's serious."

"So what are you going to do now?" Angelina asked.

I shrugged. "Well, he's happy, I'm happy, Emma's happy… as long as we're all happy, I think we're all fine."

After saying goodbye to Alicia and Angelina, I returned home and found Oliver and Emma asleep on the couch together. I smiled and sat down next to Oliver, who awoke and smiled at me. "Had a good time shopping?" he asked. I smiled and nodded. "By the way, sorry about… you know."

I shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I only got 3 hours of interrogation."

He smiled sympathetically and we looked down at Emma, who was still sleeping peacefully. "Are you all right?" he finally asked me after a while.

I turned to look at him. "I'm fine," I answered. "What about you?"

"Never better."

(There you go. Make sure you read the author's note at the beginning of the chapter. Also, if anyone is into or has a Xanga and is into RPG, e-mail me. Thanks a million to those who reviewed!)


	11. Author's Note

Author's Note:

OK, I know, I know. I haven't updated since… forever? And all I can really say is that I'm sorry. Freshman year was stressful, but I thought I'd be able to start writing again in the spring. However, I made the Varsity softball team, which I didn't think would happen. So, that was very time-consuming, but now that summer has arrived, I have a bit more time to write, and believe me, it's definitely a relief. BUT now, I play on 2 teams for my school, and a travel team. That means I still will be constricted with time. (I have games every night and tournaments on weekends.)

But here's the deal: This story is done. Over with. Finished. But I know some of you wanted an epilogue. The truth is… Eh, I don't really have an epilogue. So here's my proposal. I can either:

A. Write a crappy little epilogue for this story or

B. Start my new story.

I'm flat out blank of ideas for this story, but if you_ really _want me to, I can try to come up with something for an epilogue. As for my new story? I'm glad you asked.

It will, of course, be Katie/Oliver. It's going to be a bit more mature. I supposed I was inspired by the movie "Closer." (Jude Law is amazingly gorgeous, by the way. I would be his nanny any day.) And no, I don't mean that it's going to be smutty and raunchy. I mean that the situations are going to be more mature. Psh, what kind of person do you think I am? Just kidding. It's going to be post-Hogwarts and I guarantee it will be better than this one. Oh, and not to mention that I'll actually update more than once a year.

So, it's really up to you guys, or at least those of you who actually took the time to read this. And if I don't get any responses, I'll just go ahead with the new story. So just leave a comment/review and let me know what you think.

Thank you for taking the time to read my stories.

I love you all,

Steph


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